Visitor Controls

Safeguarding a patient's PHI starts with minimizing unauthorized access to information that is housed within the facility. Since PHI is housed in many different areas of a healthcare facility, the chances of it being viewed by an unauthorized person increases if there are no safeguards to protect against unauthorized access. Safeguards that are in place include: (1) employee identification badges, and (2) keeping restricted areas locked or accessible only by keyless entry or access cards. An employee badge is authentication of an employee's purpose for being in the Loma Linda facility and should be worn at all times. Badges are issued by the Human Resources Department. If your employee badge is lost, please contact the HRM Department for a replacement.

How can I help with visitor control?

As an employee, environmental awareness is an essential part of visitor control. Be aware of your surroundings and do not ignore concerns that you may have regarding any visitors that look strange or lost. You are empowered to assist with controlling visitor access in the following ways:

• Question any person(s) in the facility that may look suspicious, confused or lost by simply offering assistance to help find their destination. All suspicious visitors should be reported to the Security Department.
• Be aware of people around you, your workstation and your environment.
• Prevent "piggy backing", which means allowing someone to follow behind you when going through a cardkey entry or other restricted area.

Remember, if you do not know someone in your environment, or know that they do not have a need to view PHI, then take extra measures to protect all PHI.

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